Counting questions

I have a couple of questions regarding learning to count and the actual count.

While I can count a single deck in approx 30~40 seconds (which will improve with practice), I can only achieve this by counting the cards as pairs, that is turning them over two at a time.

I feel I am learning to count cards which is not neccesaarily the same way as the cards are actually dealt in the real world. I've practised dealing cards to five boxes and my counting ability just goes out of the window. I usually start counting after the second card is dealt to each box, but the third card just sends my mind blank, splits and doubles sends my mind blank. Yet I can count a deck by turning the cards over one after the other.

Any pointers, advice??

Which brings me to the count itself, sometimes I'm out by one. Seeing that any running count should be coverted to a true count, which itself is not going to be 100% accurate, does being out by one or even two really matter.

Also how do you pro guys handle the true and running count as the deck proceeds to be dealt. If I'm playing a 8 deck game and 2 decks have been dealt, I convert my running count to a true count, but a few more round of hands and the discard tray has 3 decks, what am I trying to commit to memory, the continuing running count or some true count I calculated after 2 decks where dealt which I later have to change after I notice 3 decks have been dealt.

The running count versus true count I understand, but I don't understand how to handle this as the discard tray increases?

Thanks for any advice, pointers.

I know it is frustrating at first, but this is the norm. For ordinary people it takes from 3 to 6 months (depending on the drilling intensity per day) to master the running count, deck estimation and true count conversion. That is why 95% of the players don't know how to count and 90% percent out of those 5% remaining counters fail to be real advanced players (AP). CC is only part of the game, there is so much more to be an AP and it takes years.

If it was that easy, there won't be any BJ tables left in casinos. Try to learn any unbalanced system first so it does not require deck estimation and true count conversion, they works too.

If you want to simplify your life, use reKO. It is just as good as HiLo, and a lot easier. You can read about it here: http://www.qfit.com/rekostrategy.htm

- No true count conversion.
- All strategy variations occur at the same index.

Why complicate your life?

If you do insist on TC conversion, you might consider using multiplication rather than division. For example, with four decks remaining, the multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12, 16, etc. If the running count is 14, that fits between 12 and 16, so the TC is 3.

Kiss III,and take the $$$$$ to the bank.

I would have to see c-SCORE results to compare its power to similar systems.

Thanks for all the responses, I did read the Knockout BJ book a few years back, but now am leaning towards a hi-low and true count conversion at the moment, I get the impression it is the most popular method.

A lot of places I play at have those pain in the butt CSM machines, I find them useful practise, although last night in the space of 45 mins the dealer got 3 sevens twice.

I've been using KO for nine years and doing just fine. In my mind, the one disadvantage compared to Hi-Lo is that if you play games with different numbers of decks, your numbers change, i.e. Key Count, Pivot, indices. (With reKO that's not much of a problem.)

... in the articles on the green menu to the left of this page. Scroll down. Read them all, try the different suggestions and you'll find what works for you. I like what someone said above: the true-count conversion is merely a "snapshot in time." Read, read, then read some more.

Pork